System for simulating the presence of a person in a room

ABSTRACT

A system for simulating the presence of a person in a room has first playback means ( 11 ) for playing back sound and/or image information and activation signal generation means ( 52 ) for repeatedly generating an activation signal (AS), and activation means ( 53 ) for automatically repeatedly activating the first playback means ( 11 ) as a function of the occurrence of the activation signal (AS), following which activation of the first playback means ( 11 ) sound and/or image information can be transmitted, by means of which transmittable sound and/or image information the presence of a person in a room can be simulated, and standby means ( 18 ) for activating/deactivating a standby mode of operation of at least the first playback means ( 11 ), and switching means for switching at least the first playback means ( 11 ) of the system between a simulation mode of operation and an entertainment mode of operation, in which simulation mode of operation it is possible to simulate the presence of a person in a room and in which entertainment mode of operation it is possible for a user to switch at least the first playback means ( 11 ) between the standby mode of operation and the entertainment mode of operation.

The present invention relates to a system for simulating the presence ofa person in a room, which system comprises the following means, namely:first playback means for playing back sound and/or image information andactivation signal generation means for repeatedly generating anactivation signal, and activation means for automatically repeatedlyactivating the first playback means as a function of the occurrence ofthe activation signal, following which activation of the first playbackmeans sound and/or image information can be transmitted, by means ofwhich transmittable sound and/or image information the presence of aperson in a room can be simulated.

The present invention furthermore relates to a method of simulating thepresence of a person in a room, in which method the following steps arecarried out, namely: playback of sound and/or image information by meansof first playback means, and repeated generation of an activationsignal, and automatic repeated activation of the first playback means asa function of the occurrence of the activation signal, following whichactivation of the first playback means sound and/or image information istransmitted, by means of which transmitted sound and/or imageinformation the presence of a person in a room is simulated.

A system and method such as those mentioned above are known inconnection with the document U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,656. Disclosed thereinis an electronic time control device which is designed as activationsignal generation means for repeatedly generating an activation signaland with the aid of which the supply of electrical power to an external(electrical) playback device, which can be connected to this timecontrol device, can be controlled via activation means, that is to sayautomatic repeated activation of the playback device is made possible.In the case of activation such as this, sound and/or image signals canbe transmitted by the playback device, specifically for simulating orfeigning the presence of a person in a room or for simulating that aroom (for example an apartment, house, etc.) is occupied. Simulation ofthis type is used as a deterrent and is intended to minimize the risk ofunauthorized persons (e.g. burglars, vandals, etc.) with criminal intentgaining access to such a room or to such premises when said room or saidpremises is/are unused or unoccupied. Examples of such externallyconnectable devices are radios, stereo systems or TVs. A problem whicharises when controlling such radios and/or TVs in this way is that it isonly possible to control those radios and/or TVs which directly enter aplayback mode once the electrical power supply has been switched on, inwhich playback mode the sound and/or image signals are transmitted.However, such a condition is not possible in the case of more modemradios or TVs which have what is known as a standby mode, and this isdisadvantageous. A radio or TV of this type initially merely enters thestandby mode when the power supply is switched on. In order to pass fromthe standby mode to the playback mode, user intervention is required,e.g. activation of the playback mode by means of a remote control unit.

A further disadvantage of the known system is that, in the case of suchdevices with a standby mode, the current time setting and presets may belost or deleted following a break in the power supply if there are nononvolatile storage means for storing such presets, as is the case witha relatively large number of playback devices of this type that arecommercially available. For example, in the case of radios having analarm function, the alarm time has to be reset following a break in thepower supply, and this is often laborious and awkward and thereforedisadvantageous.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the abovementioneddisadvantageous conditions and to provide an improved system and animproved method.

To achieve the abovementioned object, a system according to theinvention has features according to the invention, so that a systemaccording to the invention can be characterized in the manner indicatedbelow, namely:

system for simulating the presence of a person in a room, which systemcomprises the following means, namely: first playback means for playingback sound and/or image information and activation signal generationmeans for repeatedly generating an activation signal, and activationmeans for automatically repeatedly activating the first playback meansas a function of the occurrence of the activation signal, followingwhich of the first playback means activation sound and/or imageinformation can be transmitted, by means of which transmittable soundand/or image information the presence of a person in a room can besimulated, and standby means for activating/deactivating a standby modeof operation of at least the first playback means, and switching meansfor switching at least the first playback means of the system between asimulation mode of operation and an entertainment mode of operation, inwhich simulation mode of operation it is possible to simulate thepresence of a person in a room and in which entertainment mode ofoperation it is possible for a user to switch at least the firstplayback means between the standby mode of operation and theentertainment mode of operation.

To achieve the abovementioned object, a method according to theinvention also has features according to the invention, so that a methodaccording to the invention can be characterized in the manner indicatedbelow, namely:

method of simulating the presence of a person in a room, in which methodthe following steps are carried out, namely: playback of sound and/orimage information by means of first playback means, and repeatedgeneration of an activation signal, and automatic repeated activation ofthe first playback means as a function of the occurrence of theactivation signal, following which activation of the first playbackmeans sound and/or image information is transmitted, by means of whichtransmitted sound and/or image information the presence of a person in aroom is simulated, and activation/deactivation of a standby mode ofoperation of at least the first playback means, and switching of atleast the first playback means of the system between a simulation modeof operation and an entertainment mode of operation, in which simulationmode of operation the presence of a person in a room is simulated and inwhich entertainment mode of operation a user switches at least the firstplayback means between the standby mode of operation and theentertainment mode of operation.

By providing the features according to the invention, an improved systemand an improved method are obtained in a very simple manner and usingsimple means. One particular advantage is that a user can use such asystem in an entertainment mode of operation, wherein the advantages ofa standby mode of operation can be used and wherein a switch can be madeto a simulation mode of operation for the purpose of simulating orfeigning the presence of a person in a room. In the case of simulationsuch as this, first playback means can be activated within a predefinedtime program in order to play back sound and/or image information, whichsound information or sound and image information simulates the presenceof a person in a room or that a room is occupied, and as a resultpotential burglars can be deterred from breaking into the room andpossibly other rooms.

In a system according to the invention, it has proven to be particularlyadvantageous when the features as claimed in claim 2 are also provided.These measures, which are known per se, are also advantageous inconnection with a system according to the invention since, as a result,a more realistic and believable simulation or feigning of the presenceof a person in a room is made possible with a system according to theinvention.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous when the features asclaimed in claim 3 or claim 11 are also provided in a system or methodaccording to the invention. This is particularly advantageous withregard to the simple creation of sound information or sound and imageinformation for the purpose of simulating or feigning the presence of aperson in a room, since a particularly realistic and believablesimulation is made possible.

The first playback means may be designed to play back sound and/or imageinformation that is recorded on magnetic tape. It has proven to beparticularly advantageous when the features as claimed in claim 4 orclaim 12 and claim 5 are also provided in a system or method accordingto the invention. As a result, it is possible to simulate or feign thepresence of a person in a room in a particularly simple manner.

It has proven to be very advantageous when the features as claimed inclaim 6 or claim 13 are also provided in a system or method according tothe invention. This ensures that the simulation or feigning of thepresence of a person in a room is still possible even in the event of amalfunction of the first playback means.

The abovementioned aspects and further aspects of the invention emergefrom the following description of an example of an embodiment and areexplained on the basis of this example of an embodiment.

The invention will be further described with reference to an example ofan embodiment shown in the drawings to which, however, the invention isnot restricted.

FIG. 1 shows, in the form of a block diagram, a system according to theinvention.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a flowchart of a method according to the invention,which method is carried out in the system shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows a system 1 for simulating the presence of a person in aroom, which system 1 is formed by an audio stereo system 10, hereinafterreferred to in brief as audio system 10. The audio system 10 has firstplayback means 11, which first playback means 11 are formed by what isreferred to as a CD module 12. The CD module 12 is provided and designedfor playing back digitally stored information or data, which digitallystored information is stored in data carriers which can be read in anoptical manner. The optically readable data carriers are in this caseformed by audio compact disks (audio CDs). The digitally storedinformation is stored in accordance with a CD standard (“red book”) intracks on the data carriers, and is in this case sound information. Itmay be mentioned that the CDs may likewise be of the CD-R or CD-RW type.It may furthermore be mentioned that the first playback means 11 canalso be formed by a DVD module and the data carriers may be formed byDVDs, on which DVDs sound and/or image information can be stored.

The audio system 10 furthermore has a CPU 50 which is provided as acentral control unit, which CPU 50 is designed as a microprocessor andis connected to a ROM 20 provided as nonvolatile memory and to a RAM 21provided as volatile memory. The ROM 20 and the RAM 21 are provided anddesigned for known purposes.

The audio system 10 furthermore comprises input means 13, said inputmeans 13 having keys that can be operated manually, being mounted in theregion of a casing wall of the audio system 10, being connected to theCPU 50 and being designed for the inputting of control information by auser of the audio system 10. It may be mentioned that such input means13 can likewise be formed by a multifunctional remote control unit or avoice control unit or a personal computer (PC).

The audio system 10 also comprises a remote control sensor 14 which isconnected to the CPU 50 and is designed to receive infrared remotecontrol signals in accordance with the RC6 standard. The audio system 10further comprises display means 15 for displaying text and/or imageinformation. The display means 15 in the present case are formed by anLCD dot matrix display unit which is mounted visibly in the region of acasing wall of the audio system 10. It may be mentioned that suchdisplay means IS can likewise be formed by a VFD display or othersimilar displays.

The audio system 10 further comprises second playback means 16 which areconnected to the CPU 50 and are formed by a tuner module 17, which tunermodule 17 is designed to receive radio program sound and/or imageinformation from various radio stations, that is to say transmittingstations. It may be mentioned that the second playback means 16 may alsobe formed by an Internet audio module, which Internet audio module isdesigned to play back radio program sound and/or image informationtransmitted via a data network, or be formed by what is referred to as atape module, which tape module is designed to play back and/or recordfrom/onto a magnetic tape accommodated in a cassette.

The audio system 10 also comprises an amplifier module 30 which isconnected to the CPU 50 and is designed to amplify analog audio signals,which amplified analog audio signals are transmitted to an amplifieroutput 31. An audio playback means in the form of a loudspeaker 32 isconnected to the amplifier output 31, said loudspeaker 32 being providedfor playing back the amplified analog audio signals. In the presentcase, the CD module 12 and the tuner module 17 are each designed totransmit sound information, which sound information is transmitted asanalog audio signals to the amplifier module 30. Furthermore, the audiosystem 10 comprises standby means 18 which are formed with the aid of apower supply module 19. The standby means 18 and hence also the powersupply module 19 are designed to activate and deactivate a standby modeof operation of the audio system 10.

The CPU 50 comprises switching means 51 and activation signal generationmeans 52, which activation signal generation means 52 are formed by atimer 52. The activation signal generation means 52 are designed toautomatically repeatedly generate an activation signal AS. The CPU 50further comprises activation means 53 and CD module control means 55 andtuner module control means 56. Further details regarding said means 51,52, 53, 55 and 56 are given below in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3.

The activation means 53 comprise time program monitoring means 57, towhich time program monitoring means 57 the activation signal AS can besupplied. The activation means 53 further comprise delay means 58, whichdelay means 58 are connected downstream of the time program monitoringmeans 57 and are designed to transmit the activation signal AS toprogram selection control means 54 in a randomly delayed manner.

The switching means 51 are designed to switch the audio system 10between a simulation mode of operation and an entertainment mode ofoperation. In the present case, this switching can be carried out usinga switch key 13a of the input means 13. In the present case, such anentertainment mode of operation is desired by a user of the audio system10, which audio system 10 is located in the lounge of the user'sapartment in order to entertain the user for example by playing back afavorite CD using the CD module 12. It may be mentioned that anentertainment mode of operation of this type can likewise be understoodto mean the recording of sound information, or a search for desiredsound information.

For convenience, the audio system 10 is controlled by means of a remotecontrol unit (not shown), with the audio system 10 in the present caseadvantageously having an energy-saving standby mode of operation.

Advantageously, the user can then put the audio system 10 in thesimulation mode of operation when the user leaves his apartment for arelatively long period of time and the apartment is consequentlyunoccupied or unattended, for example during a holiday or trip. Anunoccupied or unattended apartment such as this is unfortunately often afavored target of burglars wishing to gain access with criminal intent.In the simulation mode of operation of the audio system 10, the presenceof a person in the apartment is simulated by sound information beingtransmitted, as a result of which the risk of the apartment being brokeninto can be minimized.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a sequence of a simulation mode of operation, whichsequence is illustrated using the audio system 10 and the CPU 50.Following actuation of the switch key 13 a, the switching means 51switch the audio system 10 to the simulation mode of operation, thesequence being started in the time program monitoring means 52 as aresult of a timer routine activated by the timer 52 (activation signalgeneration means 52), said sequence starting at a start block 200.Following the start block 200, an interrogation is made at aninterrogation block 205 as to whether the audio system 10 is in astandby mode of operation. If the audio system 10 is in a standby modeof operation, then the sequence branches to an interrogation block 215;otherwise the sequence continues at a block 210.

Time information in the form of hours and minutes is transmitted by thetimer 52 as activation signal AS. At the interrogation block 215, acheck is made as to whether the time information transmitted by thetimer 52 lies within a time window, a time window from nine (9) hoursand zero (0) minutes (9:00) to twenty-two (22) hours and zero (0)minutes (22:00) being predefined in the present case. It may bementioned that other time windows can be predefined, for example from7:00 to 23:00 or from 18:00 to 22:00, and these time windows can beselected and/or set by the user.

Depending on the interrogation at the interrogation block 215, if thetime information transmitted by the timer 52 lies within the timewindow, the activation signal AS is transmitted to the delay means 58and the sequence continues at an interrogation block 220; otherwise thesequence continues at the block 210. At the block 210, the timer 52 isreset and restarted, the timer 52 being set to two (2) minutes in thepresent case, that is to say that after a period of two (2) minutes thetimer routine is started again and the sequence begins again at theblock 200. It may be mentioned that the timer 52 can be set to anothertime period, for example to six (6) hours or one day.

The transmission of the activation signal AS to the program selectioncontrol means 54 is randomly delayed by the delay means 58, by a randomnumber being generated by means of random number generator means (notshown in any more detail) and by a decision being made, at theinterrogation block 220, as a function of the random number, as towhether the activation signal AS is forwarded as an alarm signal WS tothe program selection control means 54. In the event of a positiveresponse “Y” at the interrogation block 220, the sequence continues at ablock 225. In the event of a negative response “N”, the sequencecontinues at the block 210.

At the block 225, the standby means 18 activate the audio system 10,following which activation the playback of sound information by means ofthe CD module 12 is enabled. After the block 225, an interrogation willbe performed with the aid of the program selection control means 54 andthe CD module control means 55, at the interrogation block 230, as towhether the CD module 12 contains a CD for playback. If a CD is present,then the sequence continues at a block 235, in which block 235 theprogram selection control means 54 select or create a sequence of trackscontained on the CD. In the present case, the CD contains five (5)different tracks, said tracks each containing different soundinformation characteristic of the presence of a person in the apartment,such as kitchen noises (hand mixer, clattering of dishes, etc.), thenoise of a room being cleaned or the noise of a conversation ordiscussion for example. In the present example of an embodiment, thetracks are selected in a random manner. However, it should be mentionedthat the sequence of tracks can be predefined.

Following the block 235, at a black 240 the program selection controlmeans 54 create a playback program from the selected tracks. In thepresent case, a playback program using just one track—track four (4)—ofthe CD is created. The sequence then continues at a block 245, where theCD module control means 55 transmit the playback program to the CDmodule 12 and the CD module 12 commences playback of a track of theplayback program, after which the sequence continues at a block 250. Atthe block 250, the program selection control means 54 check whether theplayback of the track of the playback program by the CD module 12 hasfinished. If all tracks of the playback program have been played back,the sequence continues at a block 255; otherwise the sequence continuesat the block 245, that is to say a subsequent track of the playbackprogram is played back.

If, during the interrogation at the interrogation block 230, it isascertained that no CD is present in the CD module 12, the sequencecontinues at a block 305, which block 305 is illustrated in FIG. 3 andis connected to the sequence shown in FIG. 2 via a connection point A.The sequence described below according to FIG. 3 shows one possibilityfor simulating the presence of a person in a room if it is not possiblefor the CD module 12 to play back the CD, for example if someone hasforgotten to place such a CD in the CD module 12. It should be mentionedthat, during the interrogation at the block 230, an interrogation may bemade as to whether a CD present in the CD module 12 can or cannot beplayed.

At the block 305, the program selection control means 54 activate thesecond playback means 16, that is to say also the tuner module 17, anddeactivate the CD module 12. Furthermore, a continuous counting variablePAS is set to a value of zero. After the block 305, the sequencebranches at an interrogation block 310, specifically to a block 320 ifthe continuous counting variable PAS has a value greater than onethousand (1000) or to a block 315 if the aforementioned condition is notmet. At the block 315, a frequency preset of the tuner module 17 isselected, giving a selection frequency AF, after which the continuouscounting variable PAS is increased by a value of one (1) at a block 325.Thereafter, at an interrogation block 330, a check is made as to whetherthe selection frequency AF corresponds to a valid frequency of the tunermodule 17. If it does, the sequence continues at a block 335; otherwisethe sequence continues at the block 310 and a frequency preset of thetuner module 17 is selected anew.

At the block 335, a playback duration is specified, within whichplayback duration the tuner module 17 plays back sound information inorder to simulate the presence of a person in a room. In the presentcase, the playback duration is selected at random to be between two (2)minutes and fifteen (15) minutes, and then the sequence continues at ablock 340, at which block 340 a tuner timer is started.

In the case where the continuous counting variable PAS has a valuegreater than one thousand (1000) at the interrogation block 310, thesequence continues with a frequency setting of the tuner module 17 mostrecently selected by the user being determined as the selectionfrequency AF at the block 320.

After the block 340 or the block 320, at a block 345, tuner modulecontrol means 56 convey the selection frequency AF to the tuner module17 with subsequent activation of the tuner module 17 in order totransmit sound information. The sequence then continues at aninterrogation block 350, at which interrogation block 350 the startedtuner timer continually checks whether the playback duration has alreadyelapsed. If this is the case, the sequence continues at the block 255,as shown in FIG. 3 by means of the connection point B.

At the block 255, in the present case the power supply module 19switches the audio system 10 to an energy-saving standby mode, afterwhich the sequence continues at the block 210, that is to say the timer52 is restarted. e entertainment mode of operation.

1. A system (1) for simulating the presence of a person in a room, whichsystem (1) comprises the following means, namely: first playback means(11) for playing back sound and/or image information and activationsignal generation means (52) for repeatedly generating an activationsignal (AS), and activation means (53) for automatically repeatedlyactivating the first playback means (11) as a function of the occurrenceof the activation signal (AS), following which activation of the firstplayback means (11) sound and/or image information can be transmitted,by means of which transmittable sound and/or image information thepresence of a person in a room can be simulated, and standby means (18)for activating/deactivating a standby mode of operation of at least thefirst playback means (11), and switching means (51) for switching atleast the first playback means (11) of the system (1) between asimulation mode of operation and an entertainment mode of operation, inwhich simulation mode of operation it is possible to simulate thepresence of a person in a room and in which entertainment mode ofoperation it is possible for a user to switch at least the firstplayback means (11) between the standby mode of operation and theentertainment mode of operation.
 2. A system (1) as claimed in claim 1,wherein there are delay means (58) by which means it is possible for theactivation of the first playback means (11) to be randomly delayed.
 3. Asystem (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are program selectioncontrol means (54) for selecting a sound and/or image informationprogram, which sound and/or image information program can be played backby means of the first playback means (11).
 4. A system (1) as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first playback means (11) are designed to play backsound and/or image information from a data carrier, on which datacarrier the sound and/or image information is stored such that it can beread in an optical manner.
 5. A system (1) as claimed in claim 4,wherein noises typical of the presence of a person are stored on thedata carrier.
 6. A system (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein there aresecond playback means (16) for playing back sound and/or imageinformation, and wherein the activation means (53) are designed toactivate the second playback means (16) when no sound and/or imageinformation program that can be played back by means of the firstplayback means (11) can be selected will the aid of the programselection control means (54).
 7. A system (1) as claimed in claim 6,wherein the second playback means (16) are designed to play back soundand/or image information that has been transmitted by a transmittingstation.
 8. A system (1) as claimed in claim 3, wherein control means(50, 54) are provided for controlling the standby means (18), with theaid of which control means (50, 54) the standby mode of operation can beactivated by the standby means (18) following the playback of the soundand/or image information.
 9. A system (1) as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe system (1) is designed as an audio stereo system (10).
 10. A methodof simulating the presence of a person in a room, in which method thefollowing steps are carried out, namely: playback of sound and/or imageinformation by means of first playback means (11), and repeatedgeneration of an activation signal (AS), and automatic repeatedactivation of the first playback means (11) as a function of theoccurrence of the activation signal (AS), following which activation ofthe first playback means (11) sound and/or image information istransmitted, by means of which transmitted sound and/or imageinformation the presence of a person in a room is simulated, andactivation/deactivation of a standby mode of operation of at least thefirst playback means (11), and switching of at least the first playbackmeans (11) of the system between a simulation mode of operation and anentertainment mode of operation, in which simulation mode of operationthe presence of a person in a room is simulated and in whichentertainment mode of operation a user switches at least the firstplayback means (11) between the standby mode of operation and theentertainment mode of operation.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 10,wherein a sound and/or image information program is selected, whichsound and/or image information program is played back by means of thefirst playback means (11).
 12. A method as claimed in claim 10, whereinthe first playback means (11) are used to play back sound and/or imageinformation from a data carrier, on which data carrier the sound and/orimage information is stored such that it can be read in an opticalmanner.
 13. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein second playbackmeans (16) are activated when no sound and/or image information programfor the first playback means (11) can be selected.